Joseph Rybarczyk took over until 1966, when Oliver Taylor took over, but left quickly. Del Green was appointed, but never presided over a meeting. Joseph Rybarczyk was named acting city manager until later that year, when Bruce Clifford was named to the office.

Clifford was manager from ’66 until 1990, when he was fired, which preceded some more times of change.

In 1990, Vijay Mital was appointed acting city manager until later that same year when Michael Oropallo became manager.

In 1991, Joseph Braun took the office into 1992, when James Moochler was appointed. But in that same year, James Malone became the consulting city manager becoming city manager until 1995.

Alfred Emmi was interim city manager until 1997.

Jeffrey Towery had the position until 1998, when Clifford agreed to return as interim city manager from Nov. 14 to May 2000, when John Salomone was named. He held the job until 2006.

Michael Long became the interim city manager until Mark Palesh took over in 2007. Palesh served until this year, when his contract was not renewed.

Clifford, in my view, should be considered as the true legend of all city managers in Auburn. This is not meant to imply that other city managers were also not capable. But Bruce wrote the book in regards to city management.

I was there as a city councilor back on Nov. 15, 1990, when he was asked to resign from the job. I fought to keep him on as city manager because I felt for the following reasons that he was the right man:

Submitted photoBruce Clifford served as Auburn city manager from 1966 to 1990.

1. He knew the infrastructure of this city, which is very important, like the back of his hand.

2. He served this community for more than a quarter century. Continuity in that position is critical.

3. There have been 10 city managers that have come and gone since him, and in just about every case, a study had to be done to find the next one at a huge cost to the city taxpayers.

4. Bruce and his wife, Betty, have owned their home and lived among us for some 45 years and paid the same taxes we do. How many others owned property or for that matter are still connected to Auburn in any way? (Some locals were appointed, but served just a short time.)

5. When I ran for re-election to the council in 1987, newspaper headlines, which seemed to go on for the entire campaign, was that the city council and Clifford had $6.5 million in the budget that was unaccounted for. Two days before the election, a small newspaper article stated that the accounting firm of Dermody, Burke & Brown did an audit on that budget. The audit stated that Auburn’s “surplus” was $1.5 million. The accountants also stated in that report that it was good fiscal management for a budget our size.

6. Here are some comments from both sides of the aisle, from Democrats and Republicans at that time, in regards to Bruce.

George Shamon: “I have the utmost respect for his ability and dedication to the city. Bruce kept close scrutiny on the city’s finances and time will show that we lost a capable and competent man.”

Frank Mastropietro: “It was my privilege to serve in elected office for 22 years. I never served with a better chief administrator than Bruce Clifford. He was honest, prudent, high integrity, knowledgeable and restrained with the taxpayers’ money.”

Mike Cuddy: “ Bruce was very professional and very competent and always willing to take responsibility for his actions and never sought praise for his policy successes during his tenure.”

Mayor Ed Lauckern: “Bruce was always the first to work and the last to leave. For his entire tenure, he always exhibited what a great city manager he was!”

Don Poole: “Bruce was a team player. I always had a good working relationship with Bruce. We had a good council and were able to work together, not without disagreement, but with professional respect. All the best to Betty and Bruce!”

7. It speaks volumes about the type of man Bruce Clifford is when he agreed to return to the city manager’s position from May 14, 1998, to May 2000, when John Salomone took over. This, after he was ousted from that same position in 1990.

8. Politicians always talk about how we educate our families in Auburn and then how our young people up and leave because there are no good paying jobs here.

Well, being a city manager is a good job and this community has in the past developed folks who went on to become professional in every walks of life: military, sports, politics, arts, whatever. We all know a lot of success Auburn has had in many fields. Someplace among us there is another Bruce Clifford out there. Let’s try to find him or her!

I believe that this community owes a large debt of gratitude to both Bruce and Betty Clifford. Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

Congratulations to Cate White, daughter of Cathy Muldoon White, who graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins University. Cate’s biggest booster was her dad, Al White, who was a former state trooper who passed on.